Black currants are very healthy fruits. As Eastern Europeans have long believed, black currants are considered very nutritious and powerful natural remedies. They are a rich source of vitamins A, C and antioxidants, anthocyanins and iron. A diet rich in these compounds may prevent inflammation and protect against type 2 diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Regularly eating anthocyanin-rich foods may also benefit your memory and overall brain health. A cup of black currants provides 260 mg of vitamin C.

Because they are quite tart in taste, fresh currants are not favored by some people for eating raw, instead they are wonderful to use in making delicious mousse cakes, sauces or as fermented fruit to make liqueurs, cordials or wine. Of course, they are best in season, but you can also freeze them for future use or just simply make confitures, juice, syrups that are perfect as winter remedy or for summer refreshments.

Every year I try to make at least a dozen jars of these distinctive black currants confitures some harvested from my own black currant bush and from McLean & Buckhorn Berry Farms, located in Lakefield, Ontario, Canada.

Blackcurrants are naturally high in pectin which is the agent required to make the jam set. You don't need to add any additional pectin or lemon juice in this recipe, just 3 ingredients: blackcurrants, water, and sugar.

BLACK CURRANT CONFITURE

By Zosia Culinary Adventures | Date: July 18, 2023

Preparation Time: requires half day to complete the intended task

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Yield: approximately 14x250ml jars

Ingredients:

• 1.5 kg fresh black currant from McLean & Buckhorn Berry Farms

• 1.5 kg of sugar

• 680 g filtered water

• a flat, wide saucepan (because only a wide pan can easily evaporate a large amount of moisture from your jam)

• 14-15 canning jars, 250 ml each in size

Instructions:

1. Black currant fruit should be fully ripe and firm. Remove all stems from the currants. Wash and drain currants.

2. Bring water and sugar to boil. Let it boil until sugar is fully dissolved.

3. Add all prepared currants and take it off the heat. Set aside to cool down.

4. Currants should be boiled 3 times with an interval of 3 hours apart. It is important to bring them to a boil each time and take them off immediately.

5. Remember to scoop up the foam from the surface with a wooden slotted spoon after each time fruit has been taken off the heat.

6. Stir gently to distribute the fruit, then ladle into sterilized jars. Screw on the bands onto the jars until just finger-tight. You want them to be securely screwed down onto the jars, but not so tight that air cannot escape during the canning process.

7. Process for 10 minutes." The processing time” doesn't start until after you've put the jars of food into the water and the water has returned to a full boil.

8. Remove the jars in their rack or using a jar lifter or tongs when the processing time is complete.

9. Serving suggestion: Perfect with tea biscuit pairing and double cream.

   Enjoy it!